But, this year’s version – fifth on Buffalo’s all-time list for average temperature in 145 years – feels all the warmer coming off below normal readings for every other month this year including February, which was the city's coldest month ever recorded.

"It's definitely abnormal," said Steve Welch, meteorologist at the National Weather Service.

Heading into Friday, the average high temperature for May was 72.7 degrees - more than six degrees warmer than average - with Friday and Saturday also expected to reach or exceed 80 degrees.

It would be the 9th and 10th such days in May.

By comparison, the thermometer hit 80 degrees for the 10th time last year on June 22.

May's exit, however, will be on the cool side.

A strong cold front will pass through Western New York Saturday bringing with it a day of heavy rain and thunderstorms.

"The temperatures are going to make the mid-80s again tomorrow," Welch said. "But, once the cold front goes through, the high temperature is only going to be about 60 degrees on Sunday with much cooler air coming in behind it."

Buffalo's warmest months of May on record (average temperature)

Warmest - 1991 - 64.3°

2nd place - 2012 - 63.8°

3rd place - 1944 - 63.4°

4th place - 1998 - 62.8°

5th place - 2015* - 62.3°

* as of midnight Friday.

T.J. Pignataro– T.J. Pignataro has been a staff reporter for The Buffalo News for more than 20 years and the environment and weather reporter since 2013. He earned the Certificate in Weather Forecasting from The Pennsylvania State University Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science and holds a juris doctor degree from SUNY Buffalo Law School.